Guacamole

From Kate Jones, 2009

1 medium avocado, pitted and mashed
Pico de Gallo to taste
Lime juice to taste, about 1/2 lime
Small spoonful of sour cream, to taste
Salt to taste

Combine ingredients.

Pork Carnitas (Tacos al Pastor)

(From Everyday Food, Issue 62, Page 136)

Serves 4
half the portions for 2 people

2 pounds boneless pork shoulder, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
course salt and ground pepper
1 T. olive oil
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup milk
8 corn tortillas, warmed on skillet
Fresh cilantro leaves, thinly sliced onion, diced avocado, and lime wedges for serving

Place pork in slow cooker. Slice one onion, thickly, and place on top of pork. Add enough water to cover pork about 3/4 of the way. Cook on Low for 8-10 hours or until pork is tender. When pork is finished, drain well and discard onions and water. Shred with a fork.

At this point, you can store the shredded pork in fridge and continue with recipe a day or so later.

In a large non-stick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add pork, garlic, orange juice, and milk (whole milk is best, but others will work). Stir occasionally until liquid is evaporated and meat is browned 8-12 minutes.

Warm tortillas on a dry skillet set on Medium heat until soft and warm OR until slightly crispy but still bendable (that's how I like it).

Serve carnitas in tortillas with cilantro, onion, avocado, and fresh lime juice. Don't ruin it by drowning them in salsa and sour cream...

Huevos Rancheros

From Emeril Lagasse
(Jeni's adaptation)
Serves 4

1 T. veggie oil
1/2 of a large onion (or 1 small), chopped
1/2 of a red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 of a green bell pepper, chopped
1 t. ground cumin
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. cayenne
1 jalapeno pepper, chopped (ribs and seeds removed)
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 cup chopped tomatoes with their juices
1 cup chicken stock ( I used Rachael Ray)
Chopped cilantro, to taste (optional)
4 large corn tortillas
1/2 cup refried beans
8 large eggs
Shredded Monterrey Jack cheese

Ranchero Sauce:
Heat oil in medium sauce pan over medium-high heat. Add onions and bell peppers and cook, stirring, for 3 to 5 minutes. Add cumin, salt, cayenne, jalapeno, and garlic. Cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add tomatoes and their juices and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add stock and simmer for 15 minutes to thicken the sauce, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and cover to keep warm.

In a large skillet heat some veggie oil over medium heat. Add 1 tortilla and brown until slightly crispy, about 1 minute. Repeat with remaining tortillas.

Fry eggs in bacon drippings over medium heat. Cook to desired doneness (I like over-medium). Sprinkle with MJ cheese.

To assemble, place one tortilla on each plate. Spread with refried beans. Place two eggs on refried beans. Top with Ranchero sauce and sprinkle with cilantro if desired. Served with sliced avocados.

Salsa (Jeni's Variation)

From Lexi Majoue

7 cans (14.5 oz each) stewed tomatoes (I like Mexican Style if you can find it, but the regular is okay too)
1 can El Pato sauce (yellow can in Mexican aisle)
1 can (4 oz) diced green chiles
5 bunches of green onions
1 bunch cilantro
3 jalepeno peppers
course salt
fresh ground pepper
garlic powder

Chop onions, cilantro, and peppers (I used my food processor...for mild, remove all seeds and ribs from peppers, for medium include seeds and ribs from two peppers, for hot include all seeds and ribs)

Combine all ingredients. Use salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste. Run entire mixture through a blender until desired consistency.

Makes ONE GALLON of salsa. Give some away to friends. Or, eat it all up (trust me, this stuff goes FAST).

It tastes even better after it's been sitting in your fridge for a day or so:)

Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Thingies

(From Pioneer Woman Cooks!)

Fresh Jalapenos (I used 7...14 halves)
Cream cheese (4 oz. filled 14 halves)
Bacon (chopped in thirds)
Toothpicks

Chop jalapenos in half lengthwise. Remove seeds and membranes. Smear cream cheese in each half. Wrap with 1/3 slice of bacon and secure with toothpick.

Place on wire rack over baking sheet (to allow bacon grease to drain) and bake 375 for 20-25 minutes or until bacon is nicely browned.

Taco Salad

(From Laurie Busch)

1 lb. ground beef, seasoned with taco seasoning
1/2 cup cooked white rice
Tortilla chips
shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Sour cream
Salsa
shredded iceberg lettuce
chopped green onions

Combine taco meat with cooked rice
Combine salsa and sour cream (1 to 1 ratio)
Mix ingredients according to preference

Taco Salad

(From Mom)

Iceberg lettuce
chopped tomato
green onions, chopped
1 lb. hamburger meat, browned and seasoned with 1 packet taco seasoning
Crumbled Nacho Cheese Doritos

Combine all ingredients and serve.

Black Bean Salad

(From Simply Recipes)

• (15 ounce) can of black beans, thoroughly rinsed, and drained (or 1 1/2 cup of freshly cooked black beans)
• 1 1/2 cups frozen corn, defrosted (or fresh corn, parboiled, drained and cooled)
• 1/2 cup chopped green onions or shallots
• 2 fresh jalapeño peppers, seeded and minced, or 1 whole pickled jalapeño pepper, minced (not seeded)
• 3 fresh plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
• 1 avocado, peeled, seeded, and cut into chunks
• 1/2 cup fresh chopped cilantro
• 2 Tbsp lime juice (about the amount of juice from one lime)
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of sugar (to taste)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Make sure to rinse and drain the beans, if you are using canned beans.

In a large bowl, combine the beans, corn, onions, jalapeno chile peppers, tomatoes, avocado, cilantro, basil, lime juice and olive oil. Add sugar and salt and pepper to taste. (The sugar will help balance the acidity from the tomatoes and lime juice.) Chill before serving.

Serves 6 to 8.

Seven or Eight Layer Mexican Dip

1st layer: 1 can of refried beans, warmed on a skillet
2nd layer: 8 oz. of sour cream mixed with 1 packet of taco seasoning
3rd layer: Salsa
4th layer: Shredded Monterrey jack cheese
5th layer: Chopped tomatoes
6th layer: Chopped green onions
7th layer: Sliced black olives

Optional: Top with slices of avocado dipped in lemon juice (to preserve color)

Serve with tortilla chips

Fiesta Chicken Enchiladas

(From Kraft Food and Family, Summer 2008, pg. 29)

1 small onion, chopped
1 clove of garlic, minced
4 small cooked chicken breasts, shredded
1 cup salsa
4 oz. cream cheese, cubed
1 T. chopped cilantro (or to taste)
1 t. cumin
1 cup of shredded cheddar-jack cheese
1 can (4 oz) chopped green chilies
8 flour tortillas

Preheat oven to 350. Heat large skillet sprayed with cooking spray on medium heat. Add onions and garlic; cook and stir two min. Add chicken, 1/4 cup salsa, green chilies, cream cheese, cilantro and cumin; mix well. Cook until heated through, stirring occasionally. Add 1/2 cup of the shredded cheese; mix well.

Spoon about 1/3 cup of the chicken mixture onto each tortilla; roll up. Place, seam side down, in a 13x9 inch baking dish sprayed with cooking spray; top with remaining 3/4 cup salsa and remaining 1/2 cup cheese.

Bake 15-20 minutes or until heated through. Top with chopped avocado and pico de gallo (below)

Pico de Gallo:
1 tomato, diced
1 medium onion, diced
Juice of one lemon (or lime...whatever you have)
Chopped cilantro to taste
Course salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients and serve on meals or with tortilla chips.

Chile Con Queso, Revved Up

(From Pioneer Woman Cooks!)

2 lb package Velveeta Cheese
1 lb package Hot Breakfast Sausage (Jimmy Dean, Potter’s, etc.)
½ large onion
1 regular can Rotel (either Regular or Extra Hot, according to preference)
1 7-oz can diced green chilies
1 to 3 finely diced jalapeno peppers, according to preference. (If you like things more spicy,
leave the seeds and white membranes.)

Chop the onion and brown with the breakfast sausage. Drain excess fat so you won’t have a
coronary. Cut Velveeta into cubes and add to warm skillet. Add Rotel and green chilies, and stir
together over low heat until mixture is melted. Add finely diced jalapenos, stir together, and serve warm with tortilla chips. During serving, Queso needs to be kept warm, either in a fondue pot, chafing dish, or Crock Pot.
Queso can be frozen flat in Ziploc bags and reheated.

Cuban Black Bean Stew with Rice

(From Everyday Food, September 2008, pg. 83)

1 1/2 C. long grain white rice
1 T. olive oil
1 medium red onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 red bell pepper (ribs and seeds removed), chopped
2 cans (19 oz. each) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (14.5 oz.) vegetable broth
1 T. cider vinegar
1/2 t. dried oregano
course salt and ground pepper, to taste
Sprinkle of cumin, to taste
Garnish with fresh cilantro and lime wedges

Prepare rice. Heat oil in large saucepan over medium. Add onion, garlic and bell pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, 8-10 minutes.

Add beans, broth, vinegar, and oregano. Cook, mashing some beans with the back of a spoon, until slightly thickened, 6-8 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, and cumin. Serve beans over rice and garnish.